It was the next step toward solving a 2005 case that gripped south Georgia and beyond. On Wednesday, an Irwin County grand jury indicted the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead, a popular high school teacher and former beauty queen who loved to sing.
Ryan Alexander Duke, 33, was indicted on six counts, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, burglary and concealing the death of another, the indictment states. Investigators believe Duke went to Grinstead’s home to commit a burglary in October 2005. While he was there, he allegedly used his hands to kill her, though a cause of death has not been released.
Duke did “unlawfully, with malice aforethought, cause the death of Tara Faye Grinstead, a human being, by using his hand…,” the indictment states. Then, Duke allegedly concealed Grinstead’s body, and with the help of a friend, destroyed her remains, possibly on a farm in neighboring Ben Hill county, according to investigators.
Anita Gattis, Grinstead's older sister, said in a statement that the indictment "gives me hope, hope that Tara will finally get the justice she deserves."
“But what my sister deserves more than anything, is to still be alive!!!” Gattis said.
MORE: Read the full statement from Tara Grinstead’s sister
Initially, it was an investigation into a missing person. Grinstead had attended a Saturday night cookout in October 2005 and said she was going home. And she did return to her small rental home in Ocilla, but was never seen alive again.
The following Monday, Grinstead failed to show up to teach history classes at Irwin County High School, launching a massive search to find her. But more than 11 years into the investigation, no arrest had been made, and Grinstead’s family had no idea what had become of their daughter and sister.
Hundreds of tips had turned up nothing, according to the GBI, until one tip in February that broke open the case. Duke was arrested and charged with murder, GBI Special Agent in Charge J.T. Ricketson said at a press conference that Grinstead's family attended.
“This gentleman never came up on our radar until the last few days, ” Ricketson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Days later, a second arrest was made in the case. Bo Dukes, 32, allegedly helped Duke “conceal and destroy” Grinstead’s body, investigators said. Duke and Dukes are not related, but were classmates at Irwin County High School, where Grinstead worked.
An extensive search of a Fitzgerald pecan farm led to evidence in the case, Ricketson previously said. But what type of evidence that was has not been released.
The GBI on Wednesday declined to say whether Grinstead’s remains have been located.
And neither investigators nor Grinstead’s family have mentioned a possibly motive.
Anita Gattis, Grinstead’s older said, said in emailed
Duke was being held without bond Wednesday. It was not yet known when the case against Dukes, who is free on bond, would be presented to a grand jury.
